Flowmeter



Sept. 7, 1943. w. SHANK 2,329,142

FLOW METER Filed 001:. 17, 1940 ZZZ/6722a,

Patented Sept. 7, 1943 UNITED STATE FLOWME-TER Russell w. Shank, Elizabethtown, Pa.

Application October 17, 1940, Serial No. 361,597

6 Claims. (01. 73-210) by spring -23.

This invention relates to a flow meter for measuring the fiow of gas or liquid in a pipe line.

It is particularly applicable for'measuring the flow of fuel to an internal combustion engine such as is used in an automobile or airplane, and may also be used to measure the fiow'of fuel to oil or gas burners.

An object of the invention is to providea flow meter to measure small and large fiows instantly and accurately.

Fig. 1 is an end view of the invention with part of casing broken away.

Fi 2 is a cross sectional view along line 2-2. of Fig. 1.

Fig.3 shows the dial.

Fig. 4 shows the dial pointer and operating mechanism therefor. I

Figs. 5 and 6' show modification of the metering part.

Thefiow meter is comprised of easing l with bezel l9 and window 2, provided at one side of pointer 22. n

the outermost of which is calibrated in units of volume per unit of time.

thereof an inlet conduit 3 and at the other side thereof 'an outlet conduit 4. Fixed to conduit 3 is metering part 5, one end of which is'threaded into conduit 4 so that part 5 is coaxial with the conduits. Fixed to conduit 3 coaxially therewith within casing l is one end of bellows 6, the other end of which is also connected to plate It. Plate ID has orifice 9 which cooperates with the conical portion of metering part 5. plate [0 is guide part I l with openings 8 which surrounds the inner part of conduit 3. Bellows "I is fixed at one end to conduit 4 coaxially therewith, and its other end is fixed to plate l8.

Springs I2 and I3 which are coaxially disposed around conduits 3 and 4 and guide part I l are positioned within bellows 6 and l to resist movement thereof. Bellows 6 and I have on their exterior a stabilizing part M fastened to casing l with screws l5.

Conduit 3 has openings l6 which permit communication with the interior of bellows B, while conduit .4 has opening I! which communicate with the interior of bellows I. Openings l6 and ii in conduits 3 and 4 are spaced fro-m the fixed s ends of bellows 6 and I. -When the meter measures the fiow of a fluid the spacing of openings l6 and 11 from the fixed ends of bellows 6 and 1 provides air pockets in such bellows in anyposition of the meter. Such air pockets tend to dampen pulsations or pressure Waves.

Movement transmitting part It is fixedtoplate l0 and is adapted to be connected by a flexible connection to pulley 20 fixed on shaft 2|, carrying pointer 22. Movement of shaft 2 l'is resisted Outstanding from 1 "Shaft 2| is journaled in dial 24 and in plate 25 supported from dial 24 by'p'osts 26 and 27. Pin 28 in dial limits the movement Dial 24- has a plurality of scales,

The inner scales are calibrated to indicate the fuel consumption of internal combustion engine atf designated speeds. As shown in Fig. 5, metering part 5a may have a concave metering section which cooperates with orifice 9 in a plate Ill, so that calibrations ondial 24 may be uniformly spaced. V t

Fig. 6 shows metering part 522 having a convexmetering section adapted to cooperate with orifice 9, and plate l0, to provide a definite spacing of the graduations'on-dial 24. f In operation conduit 3 is connected toa source of fluid under pressure and conduit {is connected to a point ,of usaf Fluid sows through the conduit 3 and through openings 1 Gto the interior of the bellows 6. From bellow's'fi the fluid flows through openings 8 inguide part I I and through orifice 9 in plate [0 to the interior of bellows l. Fluid from bellows 1 is discharged through openings l1 and conduit 4. As the fluid flows through transmitted by part [8 and the flexible connecindicate the rate of flow on dial 2 4. I I If the device is used to measure the fuel contion to turn pulley 20, shaft 2|, and pointer 22 to .sumption of an automobile, the automobile'm'a'y be driven at predetermined, speeds and pointer 22 will then indicate on the interior scales of dial 24 the number of miles per gallon.

Changes may be made in the construction and arrangement .of parts without parting from the spirit and purpose of my invention.

What is claimed is: I

1 A fluid flow 'meter comprising a cylindrical inlet conduit, a cylindrical outlet conduit'axially alignedwith said inlet conduit, a tapered metering part connecting said conduits and coaxial therewith, a rigid wall having an orifice cooperating with said metering part, a bellows coaxial with said inlet conduit and having one end fixed to said inlet conduit and .the other end connected, to saidwall; a second bellows coaxial with "said outlet conduitandconnected, at one end to said outlet conduit'and connected at the other end to said wall, springs resisting movements of said bellows, said inlet conduit communicating with the interior of said bellows connected thereto and said outlet conduit communicating with the said bellows connected thereto whereby said wall is moved in accordance with the difference in pressure on the sides of said wall, and an indicator connected to said wall.

2. A fluid flow meter comprising a cylindrical inlet conduit, a cylindricaloutlet conduit axially aligned with said inlet conduit, a tapered metering part connecting said conduits and coaxial therewith, a rigid wall having an orifice cooperat- 1 ing with said metering part, a bellows coaxial with said inlet conduit and having one end'fix'e'd to said inlet conduit and the otherend connected to said wall, a second bellows coaxial with said outlet conduit and connected at oneend to said, outlet conduit and connected at the other end to said wall, springs resisting movements'o'f said.

bellows, said inlet conduit communicating with I the interior of said bellows cennectedthereto'and said outlet conduit communicating 'with'the said bellows connected thereto whereby said well is moved in accordance thedifference pressureon the sides of said wall, an indicator connected to said wall, and a guid part faste lfid 9 therewith, a rigid wall having an orifice cooperating with said metering para-ya bellows coaxial with said inlet conduit and having oneend fixed to said inlet conduit and the-otherend connected to said wallga secondbellow-s edaxidlwithsaid outlet conduit and connected at one end to said outlet conduitand connected at the other end to said-wall, springs resisting movements or said bellows, saidinlet'conduit communicating with therewith, and holes in, saidinlet conduit and saidoutlet conduit at such distance from the fixed ends of said bellows as to provide air pockets in said bellows regardless of position of said flow meter.

5. A fluid flow meter for measuring the fuel consumption of an automobile comprising a cylindrical inlet conduit, a cylindrical outlet conduit axially aligned with said inlet conduit, a tapered metering part connectingsaid conduits and coaxial therewith, a rigid wall having an orifice cooperating with said metering part, a bellows coaxial with said inlet conduit and having one end fixed :to said inlet conduit and the other end connected to said wall, a second bellows with said outlet conduit and connected at one end to said outlet conduit and connected at the other end to said wall,- springs resisting movements of said bellows, said inlet conduit communicating with the interior of said bellows connected thereto and said outlet conduit communicating with the said bellows eonnected thereto whereby said wall is moved in accordance with the difference in pressure on the sides of said wall, an indicator connected to the interior of said bellows connected thereto and said outlet conduit communicating with thesaid bellows connected thereto whereby said wall is moved in accordance with the difieren ce in pressure on the sides of said wall, an indicator connected tosaid wall, a guide part fastened to. said wall, with flow hole openings, surrounding said metering part connecting said conduitsand coaxialtherewith, and one of said springs being a helical spring surrounding said inlet conduit, metering and guide parts and coaxialjtherewith, the other of said springs beingaghelical'spring-surrounding said outlet conduitand coaxial there- With'. a V V 4 A fluid flow meter-comprising a' cylindrical inlet conduit, a cylindrical outlet conduit axially aligned with said inlet Conduit, a tapered ffltfing part connecting said (conduits and coaxial therewith, av fi'gid'wall having an orifice coopcrating with Said meteringpart, a peuows coaxial with said inlet conduit and having a e'gend fixed tosaid inlet conduit and the other endconnected to said walryajsecond bellows coaxial'with said said wall, a guide part fastened to said wall, with flow hole openin s, surrounding said metering part connecting said conduits and coaxial therewith, one of said springs being a helicalfspring surrounding said inlet. conduit, metering, and guide parts and coaxial therewith, the other of said springs beinga helical spring surrounding said outlet conduit and coaxial therewith, holes in said inlet conduit and said outlet conduit at such distance from the fixed ends of saidbellows as toprov-ide air pockets in said bellows regardless of position of said flow meter, and a dial having a plurality of scales to indicate units of flow volurn'eper unit of time and indicate ,iniles per gallon at designated speeds of the automobile, cooperating with said indicator.

GfA fluid new meter for measurin the rue1 consumption or an automobile comprising 2. cylindrical inlet conduit,v a cylindrical outlet conduit axially alignedwith said inlet conduit, a tapered metering part connecting said conduits and coaxial therewith, a rigid wall having an orifice cooperating with said metering part, a bellows coaxial withsaid'inlet conduit and having one end fixed to said inlet conduit and the other end connected to said wall, a second bellows coaxial with said outlet conduit and connected at one end to said outlet conduit and connected at the other end to said wall, springs bellows connected thereto aiid Said outlet conoutlet conduit endocrine-ates atone endto said outlet conduit andc'o' I) V L to said wall, springs resisting movements of said bellows, said inlet conduit c mmunicating with the interior of said bellows connected thereto and said outlet conduit communicating with the said bellows connectedthereto whereby said ell is moved in accordance; with the difierencei-n pressure on the sides ofpsaid wall, an ndicator duit communicating with the said bellows connected thereto whereby said wall is moved in' accordance with thedifierence in pressure on thesides of said wall, anindicator connected to said wall, a guide par tiastened to Said wall, with flow hole openings, surrounding said: metering part connecting said conduits and coaxial therewith, oneof said springs being a helical spring surrounding said inlet conduit,- metering, and

guide parts and coaxial therewith, the other of said outlet conduit and coaxial therewith; holes in said inlet conduitand said outlet conduit at such distance from the fixed ends of said bellows as to provide air pockets in said bellows regarda plurality of scales to indicate units of flow volume pertunit of time, vand. indicate miles per" gallon atdesignated speeds of the automobile, cooperating with said indicator, said dial having.

uniform, increasing or decreasing scales depend- 5 ing on the shape of the metering part. less of position of said flow meter, a dial having 7 RUSSELL W. 

